Club



Patented July 21, 19252.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD $MITLHER, o-rnlnw YORK, iv. v.

CLUB.

Original application filed February 12, 1924, Serial No. 69235;. ,Divided and this application filed.

. November 7, 1924. Serial No. 748,414

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RICHARD E. SMITHER,

' a citizen of the United States of America,

and resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented anew and Improved Club, of which the following is a. full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has relation to a club used in connection with games for striking a-ball or other projecta-ble object to drive the same and sa1dinvent1on is. a division of my copending"application for a game apparatus filed February 12, 192 1, and bearing Serial Number 692,354.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a club of the character set forth which is comparatively simple in its construction, inexpensive to manufacture and which is: highly efficient in its purpose.

The invention furthermore comprehendea club of the character set forth in which the head protects the club shaft and ball from wear or splitting, lends power and weight to the free end of the club shaft when in use, eliminates the sting from the hand when the club contacts with the ball and admits of the renewal of the head when the same is worn.

With the above recited and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction set forth in the following specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that the right is reserved to embodiments other than those actually illustrated herein, to the full extent indicated by the general meaning of the terms in which the claims are eX- pressed.

In the drawingsa Figure 1 is a side view of a club constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being broken away and shown in section to disclose the underlying structure.

Fig. 2 is a, cross sectional view through the club head taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modified adaptation of the invention.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference the club comprises a shaft 10 of the appropriate length which is circumferentially corrugated at one end to provide a hand gr p or hand e 11- Wherehy the user may obtain a secure and firm grip with the hands. At its opposite end the shaft is provided with an outwardly flared or ta pered end 12. A driving head 13 constructed of rubber or any other suitable resilient material is provided which head is of cylindrical formation and is formed with a coinplementary tapered bore 14. The head 13 is provided with a radially projecting striking lug 15 at one side thereof and is formed with a plurality of circumferential beads 16. In order to prevent inward axial movement of the head on the shaft and at the same time to properly position or locate the head on the tapered end 12 the shaft is provided with means 17 which forms a shoulder 18 with which the inner end of the head engages. The complementary tapered end 12 and tapered bore 14: function when interengaged'to prevent outward movement or displacement of the club with respect to the head.

Inthe preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1 the means 17 consists of an annular enlargement as an integral portion of the shaft 10 while in the modified adaptation of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3 this means consists of a collar or sleeve 17 mounted upon the shaft adjacent the flared end, one end of which collar or sleeve presents a shoulder 18*. The collar or sleeve is retained in place by means of a set screw or screws 19 which pass through apertures in the collar and are anjectable object with considerable impetus and by forming the head of ,a resilient material the force of the ball is considerably increased. Due to the fact that the head is constructed of rubber or a suitable resilient material the contact of the head with the ball is softened and eliminates the unpleasant sting to, the hand which is usually incident to the striking of a hard ball with a wooden club. Furthermore, the head functions to protect both the club and ball against wear or splitting and greatly increases their length of life and usefulness whereas the head only will need replacement when worn. In practice the user ordinarily swings the club in such a manner as to bring the striking lug into contact with the ball or proyectable object. It however may be found desirable in certain instances to use other surfaces of the head to secure certain results.

From the foregoing it will thus be seen that an extremely simple and inexpensive form of club has been provided for use in connection with games of the character set forth in my copending application.

I claim:

1. A club of the character described including a shaft having an outwardly flared or tapered end, a resilient head having a complementary flared or tapered bore mounted upon said end and prevented from movement in an outward direction by said complementary tapered or flared formations and means on said shaft engageable with the inner end of said head to prevent movement of the same in an inward direction on said shaft.

2. A club of the character described including a shaft having an outwardly flared or tapered end, a resilient head having a complementary flared or tapered bore mounted upon said end and prevented from movement in an outward direction by said complementary tapered or flared formations and means on said shaft engageable with the inner end of said head to prevent movement of the same in an inward direction on said shaft, said means comprising an annular enlargement on said shaft presenting a shoulder adjacent the inner extremity of the tapered end, with which the inner end of the head engages.

3. A club of the character described including a shaft having an outwardly flared or tapered end, a resilient head having a complementary flared or tapered bore mounted upon said end and prevented from movement in an outward direction by said complementary tapered or flared formations and means on said shaft engageable with the inner end of said head to prevent movement of the same in an inward direction on said shaft, said means comprising a removable sleeve mounted upon said shaft and engageable with the inner end of said head to prevent inward movement thereof on the shaft.

4. A club of the character described including a shaft having an outwardly flared or tapered end, a resilient cylindrical head having a complementary tapered bore mounted upon said shaft end, a striking lug projecting radially outward from said head, the said complementary flared bore and tapered end constituting means for preventing outward movement of the head from the shaft and means on said shaft and engage able with the inner end of said head to prevent movement of the same inwardly on the shaft.

RICHARD E. SMITHER. 

